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Flag of England	Royal Standard of England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It has land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west, and is otherwise surrounded by the North Sea to the east, the English Channel to the south, the Celtic Sea to the south-west, and the Irish Sea to the west. Continental Europe lies to the south-east, and Ireland to the west. At the 2021 census, the population was 56,490,048. London is both the largest city and the capital.

The area now called England was first inhabited by modern humans during the Upper Paleolithic. It takes its name from the Angles, a Germanic tribe who settled during the 5th and 6th centuries. England became a unified state in the 10th century and has had extensive cultural and legal impact on the wider world since the Age of Discovery, which began during the 15th century. The Kingdom of England, which included Wales after 1535, ceased to be a separate sovereign state on 1 May 1707, when the Acts of Union brought into effect a political union with the Kingdom of Scotland that created the Kingdom of Great Britain.

England is the origin of the English language, the English legal system (which served as the basis for the common law systems of many other countries), association football, and the Anglican branch of Christianity; its parliamentary system of government has been widely adopted by other nations. The Industrial Revolution began in 18th-century England, transforming its society into the world's first industrialised nation. England is home to the two oldest universities in the English-speaking world: the University of Oxford, founded in 1096, and the University of Cambridge, founded in 1209. Both universities are ranked among the most prestigious in the world.

England's terrain chiefly consists of low hills and plains, especially in the centre and south. Upland and mountainous terrain is mostly found in the north and west, including Dartmoor, the Lake District, the Pennines, and the Shropshire Hills. The country's capital is London, the metropolitan area of which has a population of 14.2 million as of 2021, representing the United Kingdom's largest metropolitan area. England's population of 56.3 million comprises 84% of the population of the United Kingdom, largely concentrated around London, the South East, and conurbations in the Midlands, the North West, the North East, and Yorkshire, which each developed as major industrial regions during the 19th century. (Full article...)

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William Wilberforce
by Karl Anton Hickel, c. 1794

William Wilberforce (24 August 1759 – 29 July 1833) was a British politician, philanthropist, and a leader of the movement to abolish the slave trade. A native of Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire, he began his political career in 1780, and became an independent Member of Parliament (MP) for Yorkshire (1784–1812). In 1785, he underwent a conversion experience and became an Evangelical Anglican, which resulted in major changes to his lifestyle and a lifelong concern for reform.

In 1787, Wilberforce came into contact with Thomas Clarkson and a group of activists against the slave trade, including Granville Sharp, Hannah More and Charles Middleton. They persuaded Wilberforce to take on the cause of abolition, and he became a leading English abolitionist. He headed the parliamentary campaign against the British slave trade for 20 years until the passage of the Slave Trade Act of 1807. (Full article...)

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Grace photographed by George Beldam, c. 1902

William Gilbert Grace MRCS LRCP (18 July 1848 – 23 October 1915) was an English amateur cricketer who was important in the development of the sport and is widely considered one of its greatest players. He was nominally amateur as a cricketer, but he is said to have made more money from his cricketing activities than any professional cricketer. He was an extremely competitive player and, although he was one of the most famous men in England, he was also one of the most controversial on account of his gamesmanship and moneymaking.

He played first-class cricket for a record-equalling 44 seasons, from 1865 to 1908, during which he captained England, Gloucestershire, the Gentlemen, Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the United South of England Eleven (USEE), and several other teams. (Full article...)

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General images

The following are images from various England-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Bronze coins of Cunobelin, called "King of the Britons" by Suetonius. 1–42 AD. (from History of England)
Image 2Jack In the Green, a traditional English folk custom being celebrated in Hastings Old Town, known for its many pre-Victorian buildings. (from Culture of England)
Image 3Durham Cathedral. The Norman cathedral was built 1093–1133 (from History of England)
Image 4Portrait of Edward VI, c. 1550 (from History of England)
Image 5Remains of the Roman baths at Bath, England. (from History of England)
Image 6Charles Dickens' 1843 novella A Christmas Carol played a major role in reviving the "spirit" of Christmas and seasonal goodwill. (from Culture of England)
Image 7The Alfred Jewel, late 9th century (from History of England)
Image 8King Henry VIII (from History of England)
Image 9Alfred Hitchcock is often regarded as the greatest British filmmaker, and was described as "a straightforward middle-class Englishman who just happened to be an artistic genius." (from Culture of England)
Image 10Dover Castle, 12th–13th century (from History of England)
Image 11The English landscape garden at Stourhead, described as a 'living work of art' when first opened in the 1750s (from Culture of England)
Image 12Portrait of the Royal Tudors. At left, Henry VII, with Prince Arthur behind him, then Prince Henry (later Henry VIII), and Prince Edmund, who did not survive early childhood. To the right is Elizabeth of York, with Princess Margaret, then Princess Elizabeth who didn't survive childhood, Princess Mary, and Princess Katherine, who died shortly after her birth. (from History of England)
Image 13King Charles II, a patron of the arts and sciences, supported the Royal Society, a scientific group whose early members included Robert Hooke, Robert Boyle and Sir Isaac Newton. (from Culture of England)
Image 14King James I of England (from History of England)
Image 15Elizabeth I (from History of England)
Image 16Gold torc from Snettisham, 70 BC (from History of England)
Image 17Geoffrey Chaucer, c. 1340s–1400, author of The Canterbury Tales (from History of England)
Image 18Silbury Hill, c. 2400 BC (from History of England)
Image 19Tomb of Richard I of England and Isabella of Angoulême (from History of England)
Image 20King Charles II (from History of England)
Image 21Kingdoms and tribes in Britain, c. AD 600 (from History of England)
Image 22The Staffordshire Hoard is the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver metalwork yet found^[update]. It consists of almost 4,600 items and metal fragments. (from Culture of England)
Image 23Francis Bacon led the advancement of both natural philosophy and the scientific method and his works remained deeply influential in the Scientific Revolution. (from Culture of England)
Image 24The epic poem Beowulf, set in 6th century Scandinavia, composed c. 700–1000 AD. (from History of England)
Image 25The Mob Quad of Merton College, University of Oxford, 13th–14th century (from History of England)
Image 26A traditional Punch and Judy booth, at Swanage, Dorset, England (from Culture of England)
Image 27The wizard Merlin features as a character in many works of fiction, including the BBC series Merlin. (from Culture of England)
Image 28The Royal College of Music is the oldest conservatoire in the UK, established by royal charter in 1882. (from Culture of England)
Image 29England in 878 (from History of England)
Image 30View of the ramparts of the hillfort of Maiden Castle (450 BC), as they look today (from History of England)
Image 31The first general laws against child labour, the Factory Acts, were passed in Britain in the first half of the 19th century. Children younger than nine were not allowed to work and the work day of youth under the age of 18 was limited to twelve hours. (from History of England)
Image 32Anglo-Saxon king with his Witan. Biblical scene in the Old English Hexateuch (11th century) (from History of England)
Image 33The Lady Chapel of Wells Cathedral (from Culture of England)
Image 34Stinking Bishop cheese (from Culture of England)
Image 35King Charles I, who was beheaded in 1649 (from History of England)
Image 36Maps of territory held by Royalists (red) and Parliamentarians (green) during the English Civil War (1642–1645) (from History of England)
Image 37Flatford Mill ('Scene on a Navigable River') by John Constable, c. 1816 (from Culture of England)
Image 38First English Civil War at the Battle of Marston Moor, 1644 (from History of England)
Image 39First played in 1877, the Wimbledon Championships is the oldest tennis tournament in the world. (from Culture of England)
Image 40Shoulder clasp from Sutton Hoo, 625 AD (from History of England)
Image 41A pint of real ale (from Culture of England)
Image 42Artefacts from Bush Barrow at Stonehenge. Wessex culture, Early Bronze Age, c. 1900 BC (from History of England)
Image 43Folio 27r from the Lindisfarne Gospels, c. 720 AD (from History of England)
Image 44Remains of Hadrian's Wall (from History of England)
Image 45Canterbury Cathedral is the seat of the Primate of All England, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the most senior bishop of the Church of England. (It was the property of the Roman Catholic Church before the English Reformation.) (from Culture of England)
Image 46Victory in Europe Day celebrations in London, 8 May 1945 (from History of England)
Image 47Morris dancing (from Culture of England)
Image 48Christopher Lee (seen here as Dracula in 1958) starred in many of Hammer's British horror films. (from Culture of England)
Image 49Canterbury Cathedral nave, 1377 (from History of England)
Image 50Depiction of the Battle of Hastings (1066) on the Bayeux Tapestry (from History of England)
Image 51The Ruthwell Cross, 8th century AD (from History of England)
Image 52The Lindisfarne Gospels (from Culture of England)
Image 53Edward Elgar is one of England's most celebrated classical composers. (from Culture of England)
Image 54The Procession Picture, c. 1600, showing Elizabeth I borne along by her courtiers (from History of England)
Image 55King's College in Cambridge is regarded as one of the greatest examples of late English Gothic architecture. It has the world's largest fan vault, while the chapel's stained-glass windows and wooden chancel screen are considered some of the finest from their era. (from Culture of England)
Image 56Londinium (Roman London), c. 120 AD (from History of England)
Image 57Sir Francis Drake's voyage 1585–86 (from History of England)
Image 58Procession of characters from Shakespeare's plays (from Culture of England)
Image 59The Roman Baths in Bath; a temple was constructed on the site between 60–70CE in the first few decades of Roman Britain. (from Culture of England)
Image 60Interior of Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford (from Culture of England)
Image 61Frontispiece of Bede's Life of St Cuthbert, showing King Æthelstan presenting a copy of the book to the saint himself. c. 930 (from History of England)
Image 62The Billingsgate Fish Market in London in the early 19th century (from History of England)
Image 63Stonehenge, erected in several stages from c.3000–2500 BC (from History of England)
Image 64Countries where English is natively spoken or has official status (from Culture of England)
Image 65Anglo-Saxon helmet from the Sutton Hoo ship burial, 625 AD (replica) (from History of England)
Image 66Whitehall by Francis Dodd (1920) displaying the Palace of Westminster (from Culture of England)
Image 67England playing Australia at Lord's Cricket Ground in the 2009 Ashes series. After winning the 2019 Cricket World Cup, England became the first country to win the World Cups in football, rugby union and cricket. (from Culture of England)
Image 68The White Tower of the Tower of London, built in 1078 (from History of England)
Image 69The Spanish Armada and English ships in August 1588, (unknown, 16th-century, English School) (from History of England)
Image 70Durham Cathedral, dating from 1093 (from Culture of England)
Image 71The Great Fire London, 1666. (from History of England)
Image 72William Hogarth's depiction of a scene from Shakespeare's The Tempest is an example of how English literature influenced English painting in the 18th century. (from Culture of England)
Image 73Chester, c. 1880 (from History of England)
Image 74One of only four surviving exemplifications of the 1215 text, Cotton MS. Augustus II. 106, property of the British Library (from History of England)
Image 75King Alfred the Great statue in Winchester, Hampshire. The 9th-century English king encouraged education in his kingdom. (from Culture of England)
Image 76The Battersea Shield (detail), 350 BC. (from History of England)
Image 77Sir Isaac Newton is regarded as one of the most influential scientists of all time and as a key figure in the Scientific Revolution. (from Culture of England)
Image 78National performing arts are held annually at the Royal Albert Hall, as well as The Proms during the summer. (from Culture of England)

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Grant in 2014

Hugh John Mungo Grant (born 9 September 1960) is an English actor. He established himself early in his career as a charming and vulnerable romantic leading man, and has since transitioned into a character actor. Hallmarks of Grant's comic skills include a nonchalant touch of sarcasm and characteristic physical mannerisms. He has received several accolades including a British Academy Film Award and a Golden Globe Award as well as nominations for two Primetime Emmy Awards. He received an Honorary César in 2006. As of 2018^[update], his films had grossed a total of nearly US$3 billion worldwide. In 2022, Time Out magazine listed Grant as one of Britain's 50 greatest actors of all time.

Grant made his feature film acting debut in Privileged (1982), followed by the romantic drama Maurice (1987) for which he gained acclaim as well as the Volpi Cup for Best Actor. He then acted in a string of successful period dramas such as The Remains of the Day (1993), Sense and Sensibility (1995) and Restoration (1995). Grant emerged as a star with Richard Curtis's romantic comedy Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994), for which he won the Golden Globe and BAFTA Award for Best Actor. He starred in further romantic comedies such as Notting Hill (1999), Bridget Jones's Diary (2001) and its 2004 sequel, About a Boy (2002), Two Weeks Notice (2002), Love Actually (2003) and Music and Lyrics (2007). (Full article...)

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Did you know?

...that the HMS Queen (1902) was fitted with Babcock and Wilcox cylindrical boilers due to service problems with the water service boilers?
...that the Charter Roll is the administrative record created by the medieval office of the chancery that recorded all the charters issued by the chancery?
...that Canterbury in eastern Kent was abandoned at the end of the Roman period, but was resettled by the Saxons?
...that English singer-songwriter Robbie Williams has sold more albums in the United Kingdom than any other British solo artist in history?

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In the news

6 November 2024 – Protests against Donald Trump: Just Stop Oil protesters spray orange paint on the outside of the American Embassy in London, United Kingdom, following Donald Trump's re-election in the 2024 U.S. presidential election. (The Independent)
24 October 2024 – Regulation of electronic cigarettes, Smoking bans in the United Kingdom: The British government announces that single-use vapes will be banned in England and Wales beginning on 1 June 2025. (BBC News)
23 October 2024 –: Three people are found deceased and seven are hospitalized due to carbon monoxide poisoning at a care home in Swanage, Dorset, England. (Sky News)
16 October 2024 –: An explosion at a house in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, kills at least two people and injures six others. An investigation to determine the cause of the explosion by the Health and Safety Executive is underway. (BBC News)
15 October 2024 –: A car driving in the wrong direction collides with another car on the M6 motorway in Cumbria, England, killing five people, including two children and seriously injuring another. (BBC News) (Sky News)

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“

I have seen much to hate here, much to forgive. But in a world where England is finished and dead, I do not wish to live.

”

— Alice Duer Miller

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Related WikiProjects

England • Bedfordshire • Brighton • Cheshire • Cornwall • Derbyshire • Dorset • Greater Manchester • Hampshire • Lincolnshire • London • Merseyside • Northamptonshire • North East England • Sheffield • Surrey. Warwickshire • West Midlands • Worcestershire • Yorkshire

Topics

Cities and major towns: Blackpool • Birmingham • Bristol • Chelmsford • Leeds • Liverpool • London • Manchester • Newcastle • Nottingham • Oxford • Portsmouth • Sheffield • Southampton • Stoke-on-Trent

Culture: The Football Association • Rugby Football Union • England and Wales Cricket Board • English inventions and discoveries

Geography: Geology • Climate • Mountains and hills • Islands • Rivers

Economy: Bank of England • London Stock Exchange • Chancellor of the Exchequer • Monetary Policy Committee • HM Treasury

History: Timeline of English history • Prehistoric Britain • Roman Britain • Anglo-Saxon England • Norman England • Plantagenet England • House of Lancaster • House of York • House of Tudor • House of Stuart

Governance: Kingdom of England • Prime Minister of the United Kingdom • Parliament of the United Kingdom • Home Secretary • Local Government Boundary Commission for England • Administrative divisions of England • English law

Symbols: Flags • Flag of England • St George's Cross • Tudor rose • Coat of arms of England

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